Allstone provides quality products and services

May 10, 2017 ·
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By Mark Pavilons

Nothing is as awe-inspiring as the beautiful lines of natural stone.
Stone is not only from the earth, but it is the earth, according to Joe Melo, founder of Schomberg’s Allstone Quarry Products. Melo’s creativity and vision bores right into the heart of these eons-old creations.
It may seem odd to the average person, but Melo is a type of “stone whisperer” who can “feel” a stone’s ultimate look and purpose. His imagination, and years of landscape expertise, have given him the keen ability to pick out a single stone, in a quarry of thousands.
That sixth sense has resulted in some monolithic masterpieces across Canada and around the world. The guardian of Allstone, the giant inukshuk that draws visitors every summer, is a testament to Melo’s skill and mastery. Towering 11 metres high and weighing 82,000 kilos, “Little Joe” was named after Melo himself. It’s the tallest inukshuk in the world.
The sculpture is constructed from 11 granite slabs trucked in from the Grenville Mountains in the Canadian Shield, boasting some of the oldest rock formations in the world at 1.3 billion years old. These extremely large pieces of granite gneiss were extracted from Allstone’s quarry in Big Wood, Township, north of the French River.
Melo also loves a challenge and the chance to “create something out of nothing.” He smiles when he talks about the art that arises when you combine two, three and more rocks in symbiotic fashion.
There’s a pair of large granite boulders on the lot that he refers to as “The Couple.”
Melo’s keen eye is the perfect resource for designers, landscapers, architects and builders, who are planning unique, even ambitious, projects. For Melo, nothing is too ornate or too large. “Little Joe” stands tall in that department.
“If you’re a designer looking for ideas, this is the place to buy,” Melo said confidently. He’s more than happy to help consult on any project, large or small. He will help you bring out the character and design elements of stone.
Melo and Allstone were instrumental in the 2003 installation of the gneiss monolith at the University of Waterloo, referred to as WATRock. It’s a towering, 28-foot piece that stands outside a lecture hall.
He’s currently finalizing plans for a large, 29-foot-long piece of granite, that will become a prominent display at a Toronto park. He’s spent two years to find the perfect piece, extract it and find a perfect, new resting place.
Melo has personally worked on many gateway stone signs for villages, towns and cities across the GTA and right here at home in King Township.
Allstone is a huge supplier of aggregate and specialty stone for contractors both large and small. From large developers and commercial clients, to backyard landscapers, Allstone caters to them all. They work with many local contractors and customers receive wholesale prices on the direct-from-the-quarry products.
The larger stones today are idea for retaining walls for everything from parking lots, commercial parks and even residential purposes.
Allstone offers a wide variety of architectural cut stone, building stone, stone for fireplaces, signs and even slab art. They also offer flagstone, brick and Armourstone.
Melo himself enjoys taking his customers on a tour of the granite quarry, where they can select that special showpiece, or group of stones, that really speak to them.
With Allstone, you’re getting quality stone and quality work. Their experts, combined with the product, are second to none. A lot of talent and expertise is needed to select, prepare and install large pieces properly.
The family run business includes Melo and his three sons, Nelson, Peter and Jim.
Turn to Allstone for quality advice, experience and the very best Mother Nature has to offer.
Contact them at 905-939-8491, 1-800-263-1270 or visit www.allstonequarry.com

Despite a rough start due to inclement weather, the historic C150 Global Odyssey is making progress.
The team has made it through Europe and ventured into Russia. Along the way, they’ve visited some historic sites and connected with supporters and well wishers from all walks of life.

Several abused dogs, used in alleged dog fighting activities, have been given a new lease on life, thanks to the efforts of King’s Dog Tales and the Ontario SPCA.
Dog Tales and the SPCA worked together to create an option for the dogs seized in a criminal investigation of an alleged dog fighting operation in Chatham.

The second phase of the Nobleton sewer project has received a shot in the arm from the federal and provincial governments.
Politicians gathered Monday at the Nobleton arena for the announcement. The federal government is kicking in $248,470 and the province is pitching in $124,235 through the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund (CWWF).

BC Industries in Schomberg is a showcase of success demonstrating how a small business can thrive and grow based on hard work and producing a quality product.
From humble beginnings as a small machine shop in Bruno Conzelmann’s garage in 1971, BC Industries has grown to a highly technical operation with six buildings and over 68,000 square feet of space that employs over 140 people.

A King family of five has taken the idea of taking a hike, to the extreme.
Sunny McGaw Whitehead, John Whitehead and their three children are crossing one big item off of their bucket list. It’s a sabbatical year adventure and it’s been in the planning stages for quite some time.
John is a business development manager at a designer stone and tile company and Sunny is the VP of marketing for a large seafood importer. Their children – Angus, Duncan and Clementine – are in public school and they are all competitive athletes – tennis, gymnastics and hockey.
They’ll need that energy as the family treks around the globe with only the basic necessities in hand. They’re calling the adventure “Five Backpacks.”

Canada is currently known as the global peacekeepers. For us to get to this point, we have to understand our roots and historic conflicts.
A King author examines the Canadian-American schism in his latest book, “Fire & Desolation: The Revolutionary War’s 1778 Campaign as Waged from Quebec and Niagara Against the American Frontiers.”